The Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club have expressed serious disappointment at the refusal by DAERA of a major initiative aimed at restoring Salmon and Dollaghan stocks on the Kellswater River in County Antrim.
Following an application to utilise the club’s mothballed hatchery on the Kellswater River in an attempt to boost the levels of fish returning to this stretch, the Angling club were shocked to learn that their initiative had been turned down despite similar successful programmes in Scotland and Wales.
Speaking following the refusal Phil Mailey - Chairman of the Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club said:
“The Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club are extremely disappointed at the refusal of DAERA to, at the very least, explore the viability of reopening the hatchery aimed at restoring Salmon and Dollaghan stocks on the Kellswater River in County Antrim.
“Our application was based on data from AFBI, DAERAs own scientific arm, that highlights a very notable decline in Dollaghan, a type of trout native only to the Lough Neagh basin,which returns to spawn in the Kells river system annually.
“The application was also built around the fact that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature declared in December 2023 that Atlantic Salmon are now red list and endangered.
“This blockage by DAERA to even countenance hatcheries as a means to restore stocks becomes even more frustrating when we see successful projects across Scotland and Wales having a major positive impact. These include hatchery programmes on the Welsh River Dee, the Wye, The Scottish Dee, The Cree and the River Spey.
“Unfortunately at no time were any of the members of the club who put in the application contacted nor was a site visit carried out. We outlined a clear approach to how we would operate the hatchery including the use of genetics in fish stocking, and as an educational resource and in assisting in the delivery of theMinsters Lough Neagh Action Plan.
“The stark reality facing DAERAs approach of the introduction of hatcheries, despite running one themselves on the River Bush, is that our rivers are being slowly emptied.
“With DAERAs own figure estimating 10,000 fish a year being killed in pollution incidents we are expected to wait for nature to recover itself yet time and time again our rivers are being wiped out with no way of saving a key element of the river ecosystem– our Dollaghan and Salmon.
“We hope to be raising this issue in the coming week with Minister Muir and invitng him to visit our site and river to outline the positive impact we can have on a much depleted ecosystem.”
North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has described DAERA’s decision to refuse the innovative initiative as ‘disappointing’. He said:
“On Saturday I attended the very successful open day hosted by the Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club.
“The club used this opportunity to showcase how they can work in partnership with DAERA to improve the health of the local rivers and sustainability restock them with Salmon and Dollaghan.
”This is a disappointing refusal from the Department and one that needs to be challenged. I will be meeting again with club officials in the coming days before we then request a meeting with the Minister.
“The club deserve an explanation as to why his Department are content to allow the fish stocks in these local rivers to diminish further rather than working in partnership with the local club to bring the fish stocks back to a sustainable level.
”DAERA should be encouraging local angling clubs such as this to restock the local rivers and monitor the quality rather than the current stumbling blocks they put in their way.”